The Wisdom of Crowds
by lifeby.adventures
Summary: Spoliers - Picks up directly after Season 3. A look at how to salvage vauseman in canon.
1. Chapter 1

Today had been a good day for Lolly, as she walked back from the greenhouse, all the women who had been with her started running towards the fence, she turned and saw the inmates in the lake. It looked like fun and they were definitely having fun but, it wasn't entirely her cup of tea. Being that exposed, out there in the open with her guard down, she wouldn't know who was watching her or indeed from where. So she headed back to the dorms, past that babyfaced CO, he looked like he was about to wet himself how concerned he looked. She chuckled to herself as she turned the corner to the door. Through the gates that lined her path she could see two very large correctional buses, and what was hundreds of pairs of eyes staring at her.

Lolly didn't know that there had been a mass exodus of guards, that there was no one manning the doors to let people in, or that literal bus loads of women were being dropped off at Litchfield and due to the first two instances that was the reason why she was staring at so many eyes staring back at her. Lolly only saw spies. One of the bus guards yelled over to her "Inmate get a CO find someone in charge to let us in."

But Lolly did the only thing she knew she had to do, she had to know what Alex knew about who the CIA, NSA FBI, or any other three letter organisations were coming, and what they wanted from her now. She turned on her heels and started what was a very uncoordinated run across the grounds back toward the Greenhouse.

* * *

Taystee was throwing her caution to the wind getting in the lake, she couldn't swim. But fuck it she was having fun just as long as she kept her feet on the floor and her hair out of water. But when Poussey and Janae started splashing she needed to take a step back, it was at this time she saw Black Cindy naked as the day she was born scuttling round the side of the lake with that white woman she had been spending all that time with carrying her clothes.

"HEY! Cindy what on earth is your black cracker ass doing naked?!" Taystee tried to shout over the mass clamour but despite her natural loudness she was being drowned out. Taystee turned round and gathered her small troop (plus Soso it seemed) and started their wade out of the water going after Cindy.

Being an inmate for some reason changed the social functions of people, this had been seen before with the chasing of the chicken and once again the flocking of the proverbial sheep occurred, if the black ladies were leaving the lake there was going to be a reason. Either there was something in the lake that meant they had to get out, OR there was something better outside the lake.

* * *

Lolly wrenched open the greenhouse door with such force another pane of glass fell out of the door smashing on the floor. At that moment time stopped in the Greenhouse. Eyes once again met eyes.

Lolly levelled her gaze, "Who do you work for, the CIA?"

Aydin in his guards uniform took a step toward Lolly, "She came at me inmate, I'm just doing my job," Aydin took another step forward, "you stay here I'll go get more guards." he finished. Lolly took a step back she had one foot outside of the greenhouse.

"No no inmate, I gave you an order stay here." Aydin said with a calm voice that portrayed nothing but death. They stared into each others eyes for what felt like the length of the bible to Lolly. The silence in the greenhouse was palpable, then there was a noise. It acted like a track gun to Lolly and she turned on her feet sprinting out of the greenhouse.

Lolly screamed and she screamed. "He's after me! He's going to kill me!" Lolly's poor coordination and lack of any kind of functional running meant she didn't get very far from the green house before Aydin grabbed her round the collar of her inmate scrubs .

However what neither of them thought, would be that they would run into an audience of sopping wet inmates and a naked Black Cindy. Lolly struggled in Aydin's grip, "He's trying to kill me! He's NSA!" The wall of collective eyes moved from Lolly to Aydin, who replied in what he had hoped was his most calm and placating voice. "Inmates, you're out of bounds, move into your dorms before I give out collective shots to your dorms, put you in lockdown. I'm moving this inmate," he nodded his head toward Lolly, "to psych. She's unwell."

The wall of inmates didn't respond, however their eyed fell to his shirt. It was covered in blood, and Lolly didn't have a scratch. Aydin's eyed fell to his shirt. He had no reply.

"INMATES YOUR OUT OF BOUNDS RETURN TO YOUR DORMS!" yelled Aydin.

Scanning their faces Aydin watched as Red crossed her arms, and began a long stare at him as the corner of her mouth quivered into a smirk. Gloria and Diaz looked at him disgust never falling from their faces as Gloria marked out the cross on her forehead and shoulders. Taystee put her hands over Suzanne's eyes.

Aydin's brows furrowed in confusion as a piece of his glass pierced his lower back once, twice and then a third time in quick succession before he turned to see the culprit.

A thick trail of blood from inside the greenhouse led to his feet where Alex had crawled. She had picked up a sharp sliver of glass and had somehow picked herself up onto her knees to make the blows, before collapsing back to the floor from the exertion.

Aydin's grip on Lolly loosened as he fell to the floor face first.

"Fucking FBI!" Lolly shouted as she delivered one swift boot kick to his ribs on the floor.

Red stepped forward, she looked at Aydin's back as his shirt rapidly changed colour from blue to deep purple. "Vause has good aim, she got your liver and kidneys you son of a bitch, not long now."

Red turned and faced the women, she nodded to Taystee who knew that meant to walk Suzanne off, it didn't matter where, just not here. Red stepped forward to the women, "I'm open for suggestions on what we do here ladies."

"Hey, I don't know whats goin' on here, obviously that CO is into some shady ass shit but, if Vause shanks a guard..." Diaz didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"He wasn't a guard!" Lolly says. "Vause has been waiting for someone to be sent for her ever since she got here, it wasn't gonna be long until he realised I knew what the NSA was up too either."

Red took her time speaking to her, "Lolly is it?" as Lolly nodded the affirmative, Red continued, "Who else knew the FBI was after Vause?"

Lolly looked at Red like it was obvious and such a stupid question to ask. "The blonde, Pippy whatshername Chapman obviously, and her new gal pal, the tattooed one. They spoke about it, I saw them."

Red turned to the remaining women. "I don't know a lot, but I know enough of this, when everything settles we either have a dead guard in the yard. Or we have a missing guard, who may have quit with the rest of them never to be seen again. We were all here, we all saw it, I say we work together now to get rid of what will be our collective problem in the future."

There was silence until Gloria stepped forward, "How are we going to do this?"

Then scuttling through the crowd came Chang. "I know how."


	2. Chapter 2

Whistling why you work was often seen by the workers of menial jobs to make the time pass quicker, keep your mind occupied on anything but the work that you're currently doing. The inmates of Litchfield however found a discussion on Chapman and how on earth she let this happen worked just as well. 'Damn heartless' 'Fucking cold' were said often.

The inmates worked quickly and they worked efficiently, as Chang gave orders the women enacted them. Whilst the fence was open it had made sense to weigh the body in the lake. The women en mass had called a truce, what they were doing today would not bleed into their other activities, disagreements and bad attitudes would stay in place. But certain codes were going to be kept. The pepper spray, baton and the radio were to be dumped with the body. No one was going to profit from this.

Having ripped Aydin's uniform into strips they had tied him up and tied weight to that, when the fence was eventually fixed they didn't want a floating corpse welcoming the contractors.

"Just one more thing," called Chang, she went over to where Alex was still out of it. Chang picked up the blade of glass and returned to Aydin's body. She knelt down and started stabbing the body in a very conscious fashion. Poussey, Soso and a few others looked at Chang in disgust. Chang's face that held the biggest smile fell on seeing their faces. "Gas bubbles in body, make it rise. Holes to keep the body pieces sunk." Chang explained. As she tucked the blade into the binds.

The faces of the inmates showed understanding but Chang could see that they were scared of her, and it hurt her. The inmates lifted Aydin's body and started its final move toward the lake. Those who considered themselves the greatest swimmers pulling him as deep as they could before turning and returning to shore.

* * *

Now that part one was dealt with they collectively turned to Alex, unconscious on the floor. Red strode forward toward Alex, she knelt forward and examined her, she was breathing. Her head was covered in blood, as was the entire front of her Khakis. Red stood up and went over to the greenhouse. Alex had hit her head on the corner of the work surface that much was obvious. But where the rest of the blood came from, she couldn't see.

Red came forward and spoke to Gloria, loudly for everyone to hear. "All of her fingers are broken, anyone can see that. Do we have popsicle sticks to splint them?" Gloria nodded. "How about honey do we have any for the cuts?" Before Gloria could speak Norma came forward hand raised. "Norma?" Red asked quizzically "You have the honey?" Norma nods, at Red as Gloria gives her a don't ask about it shrug of the eyebrows.

"Half of us have to clean the greenhouse, the other half have to get supplies for Vause's injuries. Maxi pads. tape. needle and thread from the panty place. Other things you can think of. Then meet us at the A dorm bathroom, thats where we're taking her. Don't say a word to Chapman."

The women broke off accordingly, Black Cindy who was now thankfully clothed, took Flaca and some more of the inmates that were suppose to the in the sewing sweatshop to see what they could swindle. Crazy Eyes was surprisingly good at cleaning the greenhouse, she did most of it herself whilst Taystee looked on pensively. Reminding Crazy Eyes that it wasn't supposed to be spick and span, just look like no one's been brutally attacked in here.

* * *

Getting to the Bathroom was shockingly easy. If any CO's were inside the prison, they didn't see any of them. There was enough of them transporting Alex into the bathroom that the crowd moving her had blocked the view of her from any prying eyes. And those who hadn't been outside were as always minding their own business, and thus didn't pay too much attention.

In the bathroom Red ordered those who carried Alex to put her on the bench she usually reserved for her leg shaves by Norma, and then Red began the unenviable task to removed the blood soaked khakis as Gloria and Poussey stood by as scrub nurses. Janae had been sent to get Alex's spare set of clothes, and what showed the serious nature of their combined situation. Leanne was standing ready to take Alex's bloody khakis to the laundry room immediately to remove any evidence that anything had even happened in the first place.

Blood, would cause questions, that no one wanted to be the person to answer. The group didn't really know whether any of this would even be worth it in the end. If Alex died they now had an unexplained inmate death on their hands. which without a body of the CO looked just as conspicuous.

Red looked at Alex's body as bit by bit was exposed. "Poor girl" Red comments through her teeth to herself. She looks at Gloria and they share a knowing look. But Poussey couldn't see. "What? What's she got?" asked Poussey.

Red took her time and turned to her, "She was tortured by him, this is a mob mentality. She was going to have to ask him to end her life. It's sick revenge." Red didn't clarify why she knew this, but Red had heard enough coming from her walk in freezer to put two and two together, she'd looked at the bodies that had been left there. They looked identical to Alex, the only difference was Alex wasn't dead. But you couldn't tell that from just looking at her.

As Red finally removed the khaki and cotton top, she furrowed her brow as she put on her glasses and looked at Alex's torso. Red then turned at looked at Poussey, "You're skinny lift up your top, turned to the side, let me see your ribs." Poussey did as asked and Red observed. At this time Norma came in with the honey. After a second or two Red turned to Norma and whispered in her ear "go to my stash and get as many stockings as you can carry without it looking suspicious." Norma gave the honey to Gloria.

And they began to work in silence. they scooted Alex's body further up so Maritza and the spanish girls could wash the blood out of Alex's hair before Gloria could tend to the cuts on her scalp. Flaca returned with needles and thread and was put to work stitching together anything that needed stitches. As the first stitch went in, the lack of response from Alex troubled all the women, but they carried on. Red ripped the stockings to create as many bandages as possible and began to move Alex's ribs one at a time trying to recreate Poussey's before binding them in place. No one was happy with the sounds coming from Alex's chest as the ribs were bound. Red believed that not only were most of them broken in some form or another, but some of the ribs most have been broken in multiple places the these kinds of cracks to be heard. As Flaca tightened the bandage so she could also sew them shut a gasp came out of Alex's mouth, her eyes flickered and she then resumed her slow steady breaths.

"Whose been cheeking their pain meds?" Big boo had been standing guard of the bathroom, she had come to check on the progress. From the women there was expectant eyes darting around. Yes this was a truce, but highlighting that you've been cheeking pain meds would fall into a new realm where you could be picked up by anyone else here for extra meds. No one wanted to reveal that off the cuff. Boo strode forward and then but 4 pills of her own on the counter. "I'm starting a one time only collection for Vause" she said As Boo returned to the door a couple more hands darted to the counter. amassing a total of around 11 pills all together. Red pocketed them for Alex and then began the next step of getting Alex to her bunk.

"Whose seen Chapman on your travels?" Asked Red of the women who had been roaming the prison. Black Cindy piped up with "I saw her goin to the chapel, dunno who with but she'll probably be there a while."

Red led the crowd to white suburbia, her back meant she couldn't carry and so she acted a spotter, walking ahead of everyone. As they turned the corner for white suburbia they stopped in their tracks. As they heard Red speak.

"What the ever changing fuck is this?!"


	3. Chapter 3

No one had time to stop and contemplate what they were looking at, they were dragging an unconscious woman about for heavens sakes. They put her in the bunk. "Thank you all for your kindness," Red said addressing those who had brought Alex here, "We shall look after her from here," Red pointed towards Morello, Yoga Jones, Big Boo and herself. "and take these extra bunks in our stride too I imagine."

As the women started to leave Red calls out "And remember, do not breath a word of this to Chapman, we will take care of this."

Gloria stopped and turn back to Red. "We won't say nothin' Red, but don't expect us to treat her right and let you give her punishment. She needs punishment from us all - beefs inside is another thing. You leave anyone to get killed by someone brought in from the outside you leave us all open to stumblin on it and gettin killed for simply bein' in prison and that ain't right. There's no sisterhood in that."

Taystee who everyone accepted as having a soft spot for Chapman, gave a slow southern drawled hmm oh "uh hu". This behaviour had crossed all the lines of unacceptable.

Red nods her acceptance to the crowd and finished it with "Understood." As they turned and walked away.

"Morello, you stay with Vause, tell me when," - Red catches herself "if she wakes up."

"Yes Red" said Morello as she moved to her bunk opposite and sat, luckily she was bunked with Alex. That would keep some peering eyes away from them.

"Boo, you and I have things to discuss, Jones you keep an eye on Chapman keep her away from this bunk." Said Red, and with that they dispersed.

* * *

Within a matter of hours things around Lichfield changed, flooded with extra women the dynamics changed. The prison was claustrophobic, and the ability to be alone was nearly impossible.

Nicky was back, she had been bused in out of Max, she hadn't been told why or what was going on, she was here and she was just going to roll with it. That was until she rolled right into Red, who gave her, her own personal bunk allocation above Vause. The administration of Litchfield was non existent, putting Nicky there hadn't ruffled any feathers. Their computer systems hadn't caught up with the new flock, they had much bigger problems on their hands than where Nicky was sleeping.

It would be a lie to say that their reunion had been pleasant, Red had no reason to trust Nicky anymore. But Nicky's turn in Max had made her (even if could only be temporary as addictive personalities flared and Red couldn't be sure) willing to make it up to her, and so she did what she was told. Nicky listened to what had happened to Vause and was assigned as Vause's personal nurse. Chapman didn't know she was back she could stay with Vause in relative secrecy, if Yoga Jones did her job right.

Boo filled the final bunk above Morello in 10 minutes flat. She found the smallest, youngest, weakest woman off bus cornered her with Red. They had needed only 2 minutes to scare her into silence, the 3rd minute had scared her into wetting herself after that they had bent her to their will.

* * *

Within two days came the new official routine.

Bathroom breaks became scheduled. no longer could you go at 5am to miss the rush.

The cafeteria was also on a schedule. Dorms going individually. The ability for the long standing Lichfield inmates to communicate between the Spanish harlem, the ghetto and suburbia became fraught with difficulty, but what they could all agree on by just a look was that no one was asking questions about the missing guard.

No one enjoyed the presence of the new women, with them came new alphas, new grudges, and quite frankly everyone was sick of it, everyone wanted to keep to themselves serve their time with no hassle and get out.

Everyone but Piper.

With new women, came new opportunities, more ass cheeks for her underground pervert website. Piper was relishing this new intake. Yes it came with inconveniences, but Piper had almost beaten a woman to death who had crossed her. She had viciously verbally subdued someone as she explained that 'bitches gots to learn." She was a 'lone wolf' and she had sent someone to Max for crossing her. In Piper's eyes, she had cornered the market, she was not only a lone wolf, she was a big dog. Physically, verbally and psychologically, Piper believed she was untouchable.

Piper hadn't looked over to Alex's bunk in two days. Yoga Jones didn't have to run any interference with Piper, there had been no need. And this had not gone unnoticed by anyone who was in the know, and the tension was beginning to bubble to a boil.


	4. Chapter 4

Alex had awoken the day after she had been placed in her bunk. She hadn't needed to get up for count, they didn't know how many people were supposed to be in the Prison. CO Maxwell had deleted a fair few of the prisoner personnel files from the computers in the front office. In an effort to show Caputo how much they needed the experienced staff. Because of that Red had taken the unofficial role and just 'reported' to CO bubble how many people were in the suburbs. They never questioned it, they had more important things to do and Healy trusted her. They weren't going to make any more work for themselves

Over the night Alex's pale porcelain skin had swollen and changed colours across her face arms and torso various shades of pink, red, purple, yellow and green as her bruises developed. It was thankfully a weekend for the prison so none of them were expected anywhere, and in a series of fortunate events, the underwear factory was going like the clappers so Piper was there, making extras.

Nicky and Morello had been there at the time when Alex gasped deeply and then wailed from the pain, and they had been by her side immediately.

"Vause! Vause hold you're hollarin' you're fine, you're gonna draw attention to yourself." Nicky had attempted to whisper, but it was just as loud as normal just had a husky edge to it, but she caught Alex's attention.

Alex had no clue where she was. She didn't know why there was a bunk above her bunk, but she focused enough on the faces in front of her to concentrate for as long as she could.

Alex moved to take a handful of Nicky's Khaki's top, and then screamed as the muscles in her fingers tried to bend her broken bones. She looked at her fingers strapped in twos with popsicle sticks and electrical tape and then she turned to Nicky "Is Piper ok?!" Alex's voice was scratchy and she was dehydrated but she searched Nicky's eyes for the truth intensely as Nicky just stared back in bewilderment.

Nicky measured her breath and said slowly "Vause, do you know what happened to you?"

"Nicky just answer my question, where is Piper?" Nicky stared into Alex's eyes, she didn't know this person she was looking at who looked like Vause, she certainly didn't sound like Vause and she definitely wasn't acting like Vause. Alex looked like a rabbit in the headlights and she needed to be sedated.

"Morello, go get Alex's prescription from Red, you know I can't touch it - sticky fingers n'all" Nicky said as she looked at Morello apologetically, but she was under strict instruction not to be anywhere near the pills.

Alex looked at Morello with wild eyes. Morello couldn't go without saying something.

"I'll be right back honey, get you something to make you feel more comfortable."

Alex looked back at Nicky as slow tears slid silently from the corner of her eyes. "I shouldn't have backed away. Fucking Kubra, she didn't fuckin' believe me, I didn't protect her."

Nicky was struck dumb, she literally didn't know what to say, she opened and closed her mouth several times. She managed to say "Vause -" But Alex began to cry heaving sobs that hurt her ribs even more. Nicky wanted to say that Piper was fine, but every fibre of her being couldn't Piper would get away with pulling this woman by her heartstrings the second Nicky did and that couldn't happen.

It wasn't long before Red came marching into the dorm with Morello and Boo behind her as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. They heard Alex's cries before they saw her lying on her back unable to move cause of her ribs. She was inconsolable and no one was going to try.

Red dipped her fingers into her pocket and pulled out two pills she dropped them into Alex's open mouth and then shut her mouth and held it closed with her palm.  
"Swallow Vause, swallow them down." Red waited for a visible swallow movement and then checked her mouth. "Good girl, you'll feel better in an hour - drink some water yes?"

Alex didn't look at her, Alex was paying no attention to her. Through her tears she babbled "I couldn't protect her, oh my god Piper."

Red looked at Nicky perplexed. Nicky raised her eyebrows to Red as she explained. "She thinks its all her fault, she thinks someones hurt Piper and _she_ didn't see it coming, _she_ didn't save Piper."

Red fixed her eyes on Alex, powerless on the bunk, it was pitiful.

"She gets another two pills in four hours, you find me then."

Nicky nodded as she said "yeah Red, i'll find you."

* * *

The prison was so crowded you could literally get away with murder. It happened. One of the new girls found keeled over her plate in the cafeteria. Someone had stabbed her with something long and pointy apparently collapsed her lung. She did it just right minimal blood loss, or so the gossip went. But for Morello she wasn't too bothered. She stayed away from the new girls and they stayed away from her. Like a real life prison West Side Story.

All she knew was with the few CO's they had, they were more concerned about stopping people from hurting each other than they were that she was sneaking out two whole portions of food back to the dorms for a Nicky and Alex. And not the slop either, between Red and Gloria, who now knew Alex was awake, it was in everyones best interest to get her mobile as soon as possible, so fresh fruit and veg from the garden and the stores it was.

Alex didn't each much her entire body was battered, if anything she felt it was realistically ridiculous for people to even conceive she could do it. But she endeavoured because Red was keeping the pills hostage unless she ate.

* * *

By lights out, Alex was in a fitful sleep. They really should have worked out when was best to start giving Alex pills by when its best to knock her out at night but they hadn't and they were just going to have to deal with it now.

Alex was crying again, audibly, and she was waking up the dorm room.

Nicky looked down from her bunk toward Morello who looked up at her with an equally confused look about what to do. It was only when Alex loudly wailed "Pipes" did they move into some sort of spontaneous response.

"HEY! NEW GIRL STOP FUCKIN' CRYIN! You're keeping the rest of the god damn dorm up and a lot of these trolls need their beauty sleep!" Nicky yelled over the sound of Alex's cries, to the girl on the bunk opposite hers, as Morello scuttled across the floor to Alex's side.

"Aw come on Vause, it's justa dream sweetheart." whispered Morello into her ear whilst she patted her head.

Alex choked out "Its' not a dream it's a fucking nightmare."

Nicky was still ripping it into the girl opposite her who was paralysed with fear with some of the threats Nicky was making, something about finding a Chicken for Red, she didn't know it meant exactly, but she didn't want to do it.

Nicky looked down to Morello and Alex who was still crying - fuck it she thought. "And then if that doesn't work we'll just get big bad Chapman over there to get you sent to MAX! Cause she's got powers or something to do that. SO STOP CRYING!"

The dorm fell quiet. Nicky looked down at Alex who just stared straight back up at her.

"See!" Morello whispered to Alex, "she's fine, we tried to tell you earlier but you weren't in the right frame of mind sweetheart."

"You're lying to me." Alex whispered back to Morello.

"Lying why would we be lying?" Morello is confused.

"If she was ok, she would of come to see me by now." Alex closed her eyes squeezing out a final tear.

Morello looked up at Nicky, she didn't know what to say.

From her birdseye view Nicky could see people looking over to her, Nicky looked in the direction of Piper and Red's (and whoever slept above them) cube. There wasn't even a hint of movement from Piper. Casting her eyes back at those looking at her, Nicky finished with "Alright bitches shows over!"

* * *

Piper removed her homemade vaseline and cotton wool ear plugs from her ears. Everything had been muffled but she'd heard sounds of crying she couldn't place the voice so it must have come from one of the new girls. Was that Nicky yelling? She didn't even know Nicky was back?! Bizarre.

She heard Nicky use Red's name and then she heard her name being used as a threat. She liked that, she liked the power it gave her, and she especially liked that her name had the power to shut up the crying immediately, not Red - hers . She wasn't the girl who was getting starved out any more. she looked over at Red who was staring at her.

"I never realised how good it would feel when someone else says your name like that. I feel like Liam Neeson in Taken y'know? I'm sure there's a better reference but the whole 'I will find you and I will kill you thing.' Striking fear in the hearts of my enemies, I like it."

Red could see Piper's toothy white smile through the darkness, and she truly wondered if Piper saw herself to be like Red, then Red would be disgusted with herself. But she knew in her heart she was different.

"You don't strike fear into the hearts of enemies Blondie, you only ever scare the people the people that love you."

Piper's smile dropped, Red couldn't see her grin, it was beginning.

Red turned to have her back to Piper.

Piper didn't get what Red was playing at, there was no need for her to try and knock her mood just at bed time. She hadn't loved Stella, she just did what she wanted to do, and she wanted to do Stella until she fucked her over so she fucked her back. No love lost there.

And if it wasn't about Stella - Alex had broken up with her, granted yeah- she may have been with Stella at the same time but she didn't _know_ that. And back to the important point _Alex_ had dumped her. Fucking Alex, now that Nicky was back she was probably retelling the same story casting her as this super jilted girlfriend. Fuck her. She had a reputation to upkeep now.

She'd fucking have words with Alex first thing in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5

Piper had awoke early, she hadn't slept well, Red's last comment going over and over in her mind. Whatever Alex had been spouting, she was going to silence it. She was just trying to think of the best venue to do so. At breakfast - in front of the whole of the dorm, cut her down let everyone know whose boss could work. But then Alex also had a vicious tongue too, if she was caught off guard that could be damaging.

In the showers could work, catch Alex just getting out the shower, naked, vulnerable and enough of an audience that word would spread. Or just pull her aside before either of those events.

The suburbs allocated shower time rolled round. Piper thought that inspiration for when best to assault Alex with her words would come to mind. Piper watched as the Dorm began to file out to the showers, with the extra numbers it was difficult to see specific people, but with Alex being almost a head and shoulders taller than everyone else, Piper knew she hadn't left her bunk yet.

The last of the inmates were gathering their shower products and towels as Piper watched as Nicky jumped off her top bunk. However Piper didn't see the familiar large tangled hair leave the cube.

The CO left the bubble and shouted to Piper his demand for her to go to the showers. Piper looked over, she had no clue who he was but she turned to him and whispered as sweetly as she could "I'll be there in a second ok?"

The CO wasn't entirely bothered, his presence at the showers was entirely more important than rounding up the last person in the bunks. So he began his wander after the rest of the suburbs.

Piper could hear hushed voices coming from Nicky's bunk. Those motherfuckers. The moment Nicky is back in Litchfield, they were going to carry on fucking when her bunk was no more than 20 yards away. The sick twisted individuals. Who would do that? Fucking Alex would. It was disrespectful, Nicky was supposed to be her friend, no this was unacceptable and they were going to stop. Piper made her way toward the showers. She'd confront them at breakfast, she was going to take them down and take them down publicly.

* * *

Breakfast came and Nicky and Alex still weren't there. They surely still couldn't be fucking. But Piper didn't have to think all that hard to know that with Alex, they definitely still could be. Piper snapped, she jerked out of her seat and started making her way back to the suburbs.

Piper was about 20 yards away from Alex's cube entrance when she started her self righteous yelling. "How the fuck can you two sleep at night when you treat me like this?!"

"Well Chapman, neither of us sleep too much on account that Vause here is in to much pain to sleep and I watch her to make sure she doesn't scream bloody murder in the middle of the night. So no CO's come round, see her, start an investigation y'know the whole caboodle."

Piper looked down at Nicky. She was washing Alex with a wash cloth. Her khaki top was off and the rainbow array of bruises across her body seemed to Piper to shine like a beacon. She had nothing to say. She didn't know what to say. Alex rolled her head across to look at Piper. Piper met her eyes and she saw nothing there. No emotion in the slightest. In that moment she would of settled for hate. To be despised, but it wasn't there.

"Red found some canned apple sauce from Thanksgiving at the back of the pantry Vause, I know you'll feel like a big old baby but until your jaw starts working all proper it's gonna have to do."

Morello's Boston drawl announced her presence in the dorm, and it broke Piper and Alex's dead stare as Piper jumped at the intrusion. Alex turned her head to stare back at the underside of the bunk above her. So Piper turned to Morello, who wasn't alone. She was accompanied by Red who has a smirk plastered on her face that the Cheshire Cat would have been jealous of.

Red and Morello walked past Piper into the cube. "Pills for you too Vause." Piper was unquestionably on the outside. This was a new feeling. She had once told Healy he was on the outside and the look on his face had made her pity him. It's where he deserved to be, no one could tell her who she should and shouldn't want to be with. But now. Here, in this moment, she was definitely being told. She was not going to be with Alex.

"Come on Vause, swallow them with the sauce."

Piper watched from the outside as people who weren't here tended to Alex. She watched as Alex struggled to swallow. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't leave, she was stuck. Looking at Alex's body, really looking at the bruises looking at the hot red skin over her ribs bound with fucking stockings. It was - It was indescribable. Piper could see small circular darker bruises within the greater mass of bruised flesh on Alex's arms, on her neck. She'd been man handled and it made her feel sick.

Red was chuckling, Piper looked up and Red with her arms crossed across her chest was laughing at her. "The Russians and the Germans don't have a lot in common. But I've always enjoyed their idea of schadenfreude. This -" Red nodded her head toward Alex. "Is your fault. Your lies and your carelessness it impacts other people Blondie. It's about time, you felt how it feels to be on the wrong side of your actions. Vause could write a book on it." Red chuckled again. "If any of her fingers weren't broken."

* * *

Piper didn't know what to do. But she had to go. She turned on her heels and left the dorm. She didn't know where she was going to go. But as she wandered the corridors aimlessly bumping into far too many people. Fucking overcrowded prison. Piper made her way to the TV room. Taystee and her crew were watching the animal planet as she walked in. A multitude of others were doing whatever it was that people did to pass the time. Poussey turned to look at Piper, "Look who got her head out of her ass for 5 minutes." Piper looked up, everyone was watching her.

It took her a moment, "You all knew didn't you?" A long hmm of agreement took place, from various sides of the room. Piper turned to Taystee, "And you didn't tell me." Piper searched their faces. "None of you told me?"

"If that's how your friends get treated. There ain't no person that wants that! Ain't nobody got time for that." Taystee added.

"Yeah that Bitch got broke." Black Cindy agreed.

"Yeah yeah, but she got balls, I'm tellin' you to get back up and POW POW POW" Poussey renacted Alex's stabs.

"She did what?!" Piper looked between them.

Poussey toyed with the idea of elaborating. "Man you know nothing. Look at you, trying to get information out of us. Nah no game nu uh"

Everyone was looking at Piper. They all looked at each other knowingly. If it hadn't been clear earlier and it was pretty fucking self evident. She had been frozen out, not just by white suburbia, but the prison itself.

Trust no bitch. She was the fucking bitch. She couldn't help but snort out a laugh at just how ironic it was.

If she thought Alex had been on the edge of a nervous breakdown, she had fallen over the side into whatever dark abyss she found herself in.

Why had she been so stupid. Who had she been trying to prove her worth to? The underground panty business hadn't been necessary. She didn't _need_ the money. She had just wanted to prove the wasteful nature of the company, she was supposed to just make a couple of pairs, for her, for Alex, - so she could feel sexy again, so she could _feel_ attractive again. There is only so long you can wear baggy granny underwear and feel like this is a mistake, this isn't you. Why couldn't she have fucking kept it to a few pairs.

Piper's mind was spinning out of control. Alex had told her she wasn't safe, she had told her it wasn't over and it wasn't going to be over until she was dead. Dear God, was someone else going to come after her? How would she know? She didn't even _know_ what had happened! Why hadn't she been there? Why hadn't she helped?

You know the answers you fucking manipulative cunt. Her conscience wasn't letting her pull the wool over her own eyes. She wasn't going to be able to reason her way out of this "logically". Alex had told her why. 'Depressives make shit fuck buddies', she was already in prison why not have a bit of escapism via orgasm.

Memories were flashing so quickly through her mind she didn't have enough time to functionally process them.

"She gon' drop!"

Piper could hear whoops and hollas they were waiting for her to faint. No one was coming to save her. She wasn't a lone wolf. She was the last of the white rhinos and in here, in this prison, people were taking pleasure in her extinction.

How could she have been so stupid. She needed to snap out of it. She needed to pull herself back from wherever the fuck she was.


	6. Chapter 6

Piper had been left in somewhat of a quandary. It had been 4 days since she'd seen Alex immobile on her bunk, and she was no closer to finding out what had happened. The smug looks she received from her fellow inmates, made her feel worse but then she deserved that didn't she, so she had no reason to complain or feel hard done by; but she did. She really was self centred.

Any and all attempts she'd made to get close to Alex, to speak to her had been blocked. She'd gone to commissary to buy plasters. She didn't know if Alex needed them but she'd offer them. But nope. Chang had told her all plastered had been reserved for Red. She'd gone to Gloria, asked if it was going to be possible to make Alex this Moroccan soup. Alex had raved about it when they were there. Gloria had told her she only takes off the menu orders from Morello.

Piper was exhausted, she felt disassociated from her life. She couldn't put the two together, who she was, what she'd done. It would come at her in waves of nausea. Why had she gone after Stella, why had she let Stella come after her. Piper would find herself dry wrenching when the thoughts of Stella's lips or Stella's hands invaded her thoughts.

She had tried to be good, that had failed. She'd tried to be bad she couldn't work out if her current situation had meant that she was good at being bad or bad at being bad. 'You get what you paid for.'

How could she have said that to Alex.

She wasn't the same girl who had walked through those prison doors, and she certainly wasn't the person she'd tried to be recently. She wasn't a ruthless cut throat underground prison business woman. She'd done a pretty good job pretending. But she needed to find out who she really was.

If she had been scared she's not herself in here, or that she was herself in here. In the beginning when she spoke to that girl in the wheelchair. God dammit she didn't even remember her name. She was petrified about who she was now.

Piper sat on the edge of her bunk, head in her hands, she'd never felt so lost. A CO came round the bunks she didn't recognise him.

"Are you Chapman?" He said.

Piper looked up, he was carrying a letter. Piper nodded, he stepped forward and handed her a letter and then walked off.

Piper looked at it, the writing looked familiar but she couldn't place it. She wasn't expecting a letter, Cal would have waited to see her at visitation and her mother, well she wasn't expecting to hear from her anytime soon, having told them Alex was her girlfriend. Which just crossed her mind, she hadn't told she wasn't now. But she didn't want to either. Someone believing that she could still be with her filled her with some kind of feeling which she needed right now since she wasn't feeling much of anything.

Piper opened the letter and her heart dropped. Fuck.

* * *

Piper put herself in the library, she needed time to think. She needed a plan, everything she touched had so far turned to shit and she had to do this properly. She couldn't fuck it up. She had to talk to Alex.

Piper made her way to the dorms. The weather had been good. The large populous of inmates had made their way out into the yard to sun themselves. There was only a few inmates milling around, as she made her way to Alex's bunk.

Alex, and Boo were sat up on the bed whilst Morello and Nicky were cross legged on the floor. They were playing cards. Piper couldn't help but feel a twinge or happiness. Alex was sitting up, she was getting better. Granted she was propped up by all four pillows from the bunk and she looked uncomfortable as hell. But she was sitting up. It took the four of them a moment to realise she was there. But Boo looked up. "There's no room for Judas at this table."

Piper was used to these digs. "I - I don't want to play, I just need to speak to Alex."

Piper was looking at Alex who was looking very hard at her deck of cards,that had been slotted inbetween her make shift finger splints. Those coupled with the healing scratches and bruises she looked like Edward Scissorhands' sister.

Boo broke her out of her reverie "Well I don't think she wants to be speaking to you - ever."

"I'm not asking her to forgive me, I - It's just important its'-"

Piper had made a few tentative step toward the entrance of the cube pulling the letter out of her Khaki trousers waistband. But Boo had acted quickly picking herself up from the bunk and shoving Piper with both hands squarely on the chest as she entered. Piper lost her footing and fell backwards hard onto the floor.

"You are not wanted Chapman, get that into your college skull, you've paid enough money for it. Leave."

Piper stayed where she fell, silent tears fell down her cheeks.

"Alex please." Piper's voice was quiet and weak but they all heard her.

Alex's eyes flicked towards Piper and almost as quickly away.

Boo took a step forward.

"Chapman so help me God, I will drag you out of the dorms."

Piper had one shot, she didn't see herself getting this close to Alex again so soon.

"Alex it's Kubra, he wants me to put him on my visitation list."


	7. Chapter 7

Laying on her bunk for what had constituted the best part of a week, Alex had had far too much time to think. Far too much time to think. Alex had gone through what she could realise was the full spectrum of human emotion.

It had ranged from absolute relief to finding out Piper had not infact been subsequently sort out by Fahri, to disbelief that Piper had not in any way shape of form come to her check on her. Alex had gone from love to hate and back multiple times, one would assume that would be only natural, but at the rate that Alex flitted minute after minute, it would have driven her crazy if it hadn't been for one memory.

* * *

Alex had apologised, she had asked for forgiveness from Piper.

Alex had said sorry for overwhelming Piper with her paranoid belief that anyone was going to be coming for her.

For letting it spill into their hard fought relationship, for believing that whoever that tattooed Aussie was, was the object of Piper's affection

The reason why they hadn't been intimate, it was no longer a figment of her imagination.

* * *

Alex had been right. She was right, that was all that kept her sane. Not out of a deep seated need to shove it in that fucking blonde face. But that she hadn't been crazy to begin with.

How could the woman that she loved, and loved for so long have put her in a situation whereby she had this doubt, Piper had created this doubt, and then left her to stew in it.

When Alex had finally laid eyes on Piper, when she had stormed into the cube so passionate about Alex's deceitful nature, Alex had expected to feel something, she had expected to feel anger, at the very least irony of what the fuck Piper was saying. But as she had locked eyes with her, she felt nothing.

Alex had finally been exhausted by looking at her, Alex couldn't see the reason to try. She was too tired.

But now, Piper was back.

* * *

"Alex what should I do?" Piper was once again vulnerable.

Alex looked at Piper, she couldn't catch a break, looking at her crying sat on the floor.

"Give me the letter." Alex croaked out, her mouth had gone dry.

Nicky looked between Alex and Piper, Piper was getting up to give Alex the letter.

"Give it me Chapman, I'll give it her, the closer you get to her the greater the likely hood you'll just end up finishing the job through you're own idiocy." Nicky was still keeping the distance between them, and it was evident on Piper's face that Nicky was stopping her from where she wanted to be.

Nicky held the letter out for Alex to read. As Morello moved Alex's glasses from the shelf and placed them on Alex's nose. Nicky looked over her shoulder back to Piper. "Still doesn't have dexterity in the digits, but why would you care."

It was a minute or so of Alex reading and processing before she turned sighed.

"He doesn't know I'm not dead. He's looking for confirmation." Alex looked between Boo, Nicky and Morello. They shared a knowing look.

"I knew it couldn't have been that easy," Morello said looking toward Boo. "we should tell Red." Boo nodded and Morello made her way out of the cube in search of Red.

"Why would he think you're dead Alex?" Piper asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh Jesus blondie, we all know you're out of the loop but you're not a fucking fruit loop. Stop asking people to spell it out for you." Boo said

No one said anything as Alex's eyes flicked from left and right trying and failing to make a plan.

The silence was palpable, as Red and Morello returned to the cube, but they weren't alone. Following her was a collection of inmates, Gloria, Taystee and Poussey, Pennsatucky and Sophia.

Piper was confused, "What's all this?"

Red answered as they entered the cube, "It's our weekly council meeting to see how to mop up your new mess."

Alex explained to the group Fahri's letter and his business practices as the crowd remained silent.

"His trial was kicked out, he got rid of evidence, and now with no Aydin, he's looking for confirmation in person."

"Well he can't come here, without Potter's invisibility cloak it's gonna be pretty obvious you ain't dead." Taystee was the first to break the silence.

Which immediately erupted a million questions from the group, as they argued over the top of each other.

"He don't have to see Vause - Just Chapman!"  
\- "That Barbie doll can't keep any emotion off her face it wont work"

"If he's all Vause says he is, he's too dangerous to bring into prison."

The chatter went on, and on, Piper looked to Alex who had gone silent on the bunk, and she knew what to do.

"I will meet with him." Piper said loudly as she cut through the noise.

"You all seem to know the details, you can help. You can all play a part and we can stage the meeting."

Piper talked through the nuances of her plan and the part each of them would play.

"It won't work." Alex piped up as Piper came to a close.

"Why?" Piper asked puzzled.

"Because I don't trust you."

Piper had stayed on the opposite side of the cube to Alex whilst the discussions had taken place, but now she needed to be close. Piper looked to Boo before taking a step again, but Boo just watched.

Piper knelt in front of Alex and looked up.

"Alex, you once told me that your track record was shit, but Alex what I have put you through it's not comparable. - I'm not asking you to love me, I'm not even asking you to like me. I don't like me. But you have to let me do this for you. You have to let me meet Fhari, I got you into this mess. You have to trust me enough to let me get you out of this. I may have lost you, but I'm not ready to live in a world whereby you don't exist." Piper looked into Alex's eyes searching for a glimmer of anything.

"You're asking me to trust you with my life." said Alex.

Piper had acted recklessly with Alex's heart, what she was asking now was unconscionable.

"I'm telling you, I'm gonna put my life on the line for yours."

* * *

 **Cheers for the reviews, I do read them so thanks. x**


	8. Chapter 8

Piper sat in the TV room, waiting.

The plan was in place and all she was now waiting for was her call to the visitation room. Piper was staring into the middle distance when she heard a shuffling as Alex entered through the door. She had been holding onto the wall for support and now entering the room Alex had to work out how she was going to get her self to a table.

Piper made her way to the door and offered Alex her forearm to hold onto for support.

"I didn't expect to see you out of bed." Piper stated.

"Yeah well it's a shorter walk for Nicky, to let me know that a new death warrant has been signed." Alex replied as Piper helped her down into the seat next to hers. It struck Piper that this was the first time they had been alone together.

"It's not going to happen Alex."

"You don't know that"

Piper took a moment to look at Alex before answering, she was still bruised but they had mostly changed colours to what looked like a dull aching bruises rather than the red raw uncomfortable bruises that she had had. Alex's fingers had been resplintered too, to give her a bit more movement , her hands had basically been turned into claw-esque pincers. It was hard for Piper to see her this way, Alex had always been strong, had always been confident, Piper couldn't see any of that in her now, and she knew a large part of getting her to this point had been her own fault.

"Alex, I'm not going to let it happen"

\- "You couldn't stop him if that's what he wanted to do, and he'll kill you for lying to him in the first place."

Piper moved her hand to rest on Alex's forearm across the table. Alex looked at Piper's hand on her arm and didn't look up from that point as Piper began.

"I have made a lot of mistakes, when it comes to you, and it has taken you getting hurt to show me how big of a horse's ass I have been to you, probably always. Thinking through all my shit, and all the shit I've put you through, it makes me sick. I don't want to be that person, I don't recognise that Piper. But I can feel everything she's ever said to you, done to you. Right now. I can feel you ontop of me on that beach in Bali, when the storm came and the rain fell and we just carried right on I can _feel_ you and it feels so good. But my left hand it feels my passport in Paris and my heart sinks."

Alex looked back up to Piper, there were no tears no great displays of affection between the two, they were past it.

"I don't know who I am anymore, I don't claim to have you anymore. Right now where we both are, I don't see how you would want whatever it is that I am. I have been a manipulative cunt, I am manipulative.

I'm not young and 21 anymore Alex, to get to this point in my life, I've burned all my bridges. I don't have anyone left. I've lost me and I've lost you, but I still feel what we had. I still feel all that love I have you, but I don't know where it goes. Is it with this old Piper who I hate, Is it with me now, who I despise, Is it with future me, who scares the shit out of me. You should of held that grudge, you shouldn't have let me back near you.

This plan is going to work, because I'm going to do what I do best, make people hate me."

Piper removed her hand from Alex's forearm, Alex started searching Piper's eyes. Piper was changing the plan, she could feel it, she didn't know what she was going to do but she knew.

Piper's name came over the tannoy announcing her visitor. Piper stood and gave Alex a smile that didn't reach her eyes. As she turned and left the room.

Alex called out for Piper to wait but by the time she'd managed to get her mouth to move Piper was long gone.

* * *

Piper moved through the seats in the visitation room to her destination. The table in the middle of visitation. Kubra was there waiting, his suit pristine. Kubra stood as Piper got closer.

"Piper" he said "so nice to finally get to speak to you, it was not so easy in Chicago, but it seems like you knew my message."

"Hi Kubra" Piper said quietly.

"I hope I'm not speaking out of turn, but I'm not sure if its the years that have past, but prison doesn't seem to suit you." Kubra moved forwards taking Piper's hands in his.

"NO TOUCHING!" barked whoever this new CO was from his desk.

Morello who was sitting with her husband, looks over to Piper's table. "Her bodies barely even cold and look at her movin' onto that guy." Morello said loudly enough for the few tables near them to hear.

This was it, this was the start of the plan.

"Why don't you shut it Morello." Piper snapped back in her direction.

Piper moved her hands out of Kubra's and leaned back in her chair.

"Not making many friends in here?" Kubra questioned.

"Making friends I can keep doesn't seem to be my speciality." Piper answered truthfully.

"I don't remember you like that, Piper, so full of life so full of energy, people swarmed to you."

"In prison, people only swarm when they're trying to kill you." Piper replied.

"You speak like you have first hand experience of this..."

Piper knew where Kubra was trying to go with this, but she wasn't going to let Kubra have the upper hand, it wasn't time to talk about Alex yet. She had a few things she needed to let him know before that point.

"Yeah I have first hand experience," Piper replied, "you see her, Piper pointed over her shoulder two tables away. Was Pennsatucky having a conversation with some Church Pastor of some kind. "She tried to kill me on Christmas Eve, not entirely sure what the reason was that day. They all kind of blur into one. Those porcelain teeth of hers, they're courtesy of me, I know they don't look great to you, but thats a significant betterment over what was there before. She should really thank me for that."

Kubra raised his eyebrows, "well Piper Chapman haven't you changed."

"Who can say I have, -oh I've got new body art." Piper turned over her forearm. Piper was keeping her voice detached, emotionally distant. Keeping Kubra off an even keel.

Kubra looked down at the tattoo. "Not what I would of expected from you."

"Well sometimes you need to remind yourself to have eyes in the back of your head."

Kubra looked around and caught the eyes of Nicky standing at the window looking into visitation. "Like her?" Kubra nodded towards the window and Piper's gaze followed.

"Exactly that."

"What did you do to her?"

It was time, "Oh haven't you heard? I killed Alex, her fuck buddy over there isn't too happy about it."


	9. Chapter 9

Piper shouldn't of said that, it wasn't the plan. Piper was supposed to act meek and mild and wait for Kubra to tell her that he'd put out the hit on Alex; act scared, cry a little bit and beg for her own life whilst letting Kubra know that she was devastated at Alex's passing, whilst being sniped at by fellow inmates, so Kubra knew she wasn't living the highlife in prison. But she hadn't, and Kubra was just as confused.

"You killed Alex?" Kubra asked.

Piper crafted some air speech marks."Well that's how the story goes," And then Piper started. "Alex and I didn't really hit it off when I got here. On account that I was engaged, she put me in here in the first place, lied about it and then left me to die after I sabotaged my own life to be with her again." Piper took a big breath in. "Granted I did pick the fiancé first but after he got to the nitty gritty details of my debauched behaviour, I was left with her. Just the two of us. Bitter and twisted. Didn't stop her from grassing on you." Piper pointed to Kubra, "- _or_ leaving me behind in this shit hole. So when I got her sent back here for violating her parole, (because she was going to skip town you see, be out of my grasp). I y'know made her life a hell on earth, drove her crazy, slept about with a tattooed Australian in front of her cause you can't really get away from people in prison."

Kubra looked stunned.

"Anyway. Crux of the story is, when I saw the new CO in charge of _laundry_ follow her into the greenhouse, I knew what was going on. I was waiting for you to get involved sometime soon. There was some kind of poetic justice in returning the favour and leaving her there to die. Little did I know that the whole prison was basically outside the door. Anyway. When we came came out, a little blood spattered; it didn't take long for them to to put 2+2 together and make 5."

As Kubra didn't nod his understanding Piper carried on.

"They all thought I killed her and was dragged out by the guard. But since your man has left without a trace, or even better for me a statement. I'm the crowd-proclaimed grand high murderess of Lichfield. Guilty, without it ever able to be proven due to that small plausible deniability. People give me a wide berth. On accounts that those people who cross me go missing _or_ die. But they wouldn't mind gutting me if they thought they could get away with it. No one has had the balls to try, _yet_. I would say thank you for that, but considering I'm _still_ the only one who is in prison from your fucking stupid ring. You'll forgive me if I've lost my manners."

Kubra still didn't say anything.

"I hope that clears some of the blanks you had and further more; If you're here like I expect you are, to make sure I'm gonna keep my mouth shut, of course I will. I'm sure your man would of made that clear."

Kubra shifted on his seat. "What you're saying adds up to what I was told by Aydin, but since then, 'my man' hasn't reported back."

"Oh really?" Piper quirked her eyebrow. "Sounds like you've got another manhunt on your hands."

"Why do you say that?"

Piper leaned forwards conspiratorially toward Kubra. "You have watched people beg for their lives before Kubra, they offer you the world. Alex had money stashed in accounts the same as you. If she made money at the same rate as she did when I was with her. That'd be enough to disappear with."

"You're telling me he's got her account details." asked Kubra.

"When I got to the greenhouse he'd already started. I'm giving you an explanation to a question you've obviously come to ask my opinion on. Unless you came to ask a different question?"

Kubra leaned back in his chair. "Loyalty is something that I take very seriously. Aydin was a very loyal worker, had been for a very long time."

"Everyone has a price Kubra." Piper leaned back in her chair too, not one to be outdone by him.

"And what is your price Piper?" Kubra asked.

"My price for what? You have nothing to offer me, and might I add nothing to scare me with. The bitch is dead."

Piper and Kubra kept eye contact for a long time.

"I think we're done here." said Kubra

"Agreed"

"We won't meet again"

"Sure, have a nice life."

Kubra stood to leave and Piper followed suit.

* * *

Through the prison Piper walked all the way to the far corner of the track, Nicky had tried to speak to her and Piper had just ignored her. After tracking her for twenty yards or so, Nicky turned round and made her way toward Vause. It wasn't until Morello, Pennsatucky and a few more of the council had scheduled their visitations in order to listen in to Piper's visit finished there's that they could update Red, Nicky and Alex, see if the job was really done.

Piper found herself in the far corner of the yard as she took off her khaki top leaving the cotton undershirt exposed. As she balled it into her mouth and began to scream.

By the time that Piper had composed herself enough to go inside a good half hour had passed. But Piper wasn't ready to be accosted with questions so she hid. All the way through till count when she arrived with seconds to spare. She knew all the eyes were on her and she stared steadfastly at the floor until she could dismiss herself to her bed.

* * *

She hadn't been asleep long, when she was awoken by Alex holding her own pillow.

"Move over" Alex said.

Piper shuffled herself over on her side so her back was against the wall as Alex sat on the edge of the bunk before lowering herself to lie flat on her back on Piper's bunk. The mattress was so small they couldn't help but be touching in some way or other.

It took a few moments before Alex finally whispered. "I know what you did today."

Piper chuckled a humourlessly. "Are you here to tell me I was dumb but brave?"

"No." Alex replied immediately.

"I didn't think so." said Piper.

Piper waited for Alex to say something, but the longer she waited the deeper Alex's breaths got. She'd fallen asleep, Piper went about as getting as comfortable as she could next to Alex and promptly fell asleep afterward.


	10. Chapter 10

Piper woke up first, forced to sleep on her side, lying on her arm had meant it hadn't been the most comfortable, but she had unconsciously tried. Moving her arms in her sleep one had ended up draped itself across Alex's stomach, and the other lay stretched straight out, her ear on her bicep, her hand caught in Alex's hair. It was still early as Piper became aware of the land of the living, she took all the time she could to watch Alex sleep and play with the hair caught in her hand. She knew she shouldn't but Piper shut out the audible snores and her periphery vision of the bunks and focused on Alex. Transporting them to a different time, a different place. Imagining them how they should be. Content, and together. Piper had done this so masterfully she hadn't noticed the shallowing of Alex's breathing.

"So you still watch me sleep?" Alex whispered.

Alex hadn't opened her eyes, but she had woken up due to the tussling of her hair.

Piper smiled pensively to herself. "It's the only time I can pretend, we're ok, in the moments before you know where you are." Piper whispered back honestly.

Alex took a deep breath through her nose and winced as her ribs moved.

"How much does it hurt?" asked Piper.

"Enough to know, someone tried to torture me." Alex replied.

Piper couldn't stop herself as silent tears fell, lying on her side they rolled across the bridge of her nose and pooled into a damp patch on her pillow under her cheek.

"I'm sorry." she said so quietly, Alex could only hear because of how close she was to Piper

"Why didn't you believe me?" Alex asked just as quietly.

"I- I- I wasn't myself." Piper replied.

Alex opened her eyes and stared at the underside of the bunk as she blinked back her own watery eyes.

"I will never forgive myself." Piper finished.

"I was alone -" Alex's tears had started to run, down the sides of her face over her ears and into her hair line. "- I was going to die, and I thought to myself, how sad is my life. How fucked up is it, that I'm going to die, and there would be no one who would have known where my mom's buried to make sure I would be buried next to her, no one to make sure that happened. I have no one who loves me unconditionally and all I wanted to do was see you one last time."

They both continued to tear silently, Piper was having trouble keeping Alex's face in focus whilst Alex continued to stare straight up.

"I love you." Piper choked out.

"So I've heard." Alex replied quickly.

"I do." Piper responded.

"You slept with her didn't you?" Alex finally turned her head to the side to look at Piper, Alex's eyes were red and raw with emotion as she searched Pipers.

Piper couldn't handle the intensity of Alex's gaze and shut her eyes squeezing out tears.

"Yes." Piper answered, her chest started heaving as she tried to stop herself from sobbing.

"How many times?" Alex asked.

"Al, does it matter?" Piper stared back, her face contorted in the pain of reliving her actions.

"Yes." Alex said quickly, before catching herself. "No actually it doesn't"

Piper nodded, understanding Alex's indecision.

"Just- were you with her when- when I was in the greenhouse?" Alex stuttered out.

"No," Piper replied immediately, "I- I got her sent to Max."

"Yeah, I heard that through the grape vine."

"I'm a terrible human being in more ways than one." said Piper.

Alex didn't reply as they stared at each other. Alex raised her hands to Piper's arm that was still across her chest, she picked it up to see the underside of the arm. Still blazoned across it were the words 'Trust no Bitch.'

"A terrible human being" Alex repeated to herself.

Piper winced, at Alex finally seeing her permanent reminder of her darkest moments.

"Who told you?" Piper asked.

"Boo," Alex replied.

Piper had so much to say, she had so much to think about, so much to sift through about what she had been doing, she'd told Stella that she really liked her. She'd tried to replace Alex as her 'business partner' with Stella. She'd actually asked her. Right now lying next to Alex she couldn't for the life of her figure out why she'd done that.

Piper opened her mouth to say something, anything to Alex, when coughs and shuffles of feet were heard by both of them. Piper raised her head off of her arm and saw an inmate closer to the door start getting her things ready for their 5am scheduled shower time. Alex saw Piper's face fall as their fortress of solitude began to shatter around them.

"I better get up its getting close." Alex said.

Piper nodded, she couldn't force the passing of time to stop.

"Let me help you up." Piper answered.

Piper had to clamber over Alex in order to get out of her bunk. Swinging her leg over Piper had trouble finding her footing on the floor. Alex's hands automatically came up to steady Piper at the waist.

Piper was in a half straddle over Alex as she looked down at her. Piper brought her hand up to Alex's face removing the remnants of tears.

Piper was brought back to the moment Alex and she played cards in the activities room, before realising how normal this felt. Alex's reply was bouncing around her head, snapping back to being important cause they still were. The amount of times she and Alex had been in this position over the years, Piper had lost count. But never when she had felt like this.

Piper was about to comment on it, when Alex said "I know." Even heartbroken they could still be in sync. Piper moved off of Alex before kneeling next to her bunk. Piper put one hand under Alex's neck an gave her other arm for Alex to hold to hoist herself up before turning around taking Piper's hands in order to stand up. The end result had Alex and Piper standing a hairs breadth away from each other. Piper wasted no time and raised her arms taking Alex into a hug, taking care to be gentle Piper grabbed fistfuls of her sleepwear trying to exercise her overwhelming emotions.

It took Alex a moment before she raised her arms with difficulty to embrace Piper by wrapping an arm round her shoulder and raising her other hand to cup the back of her head. It wasn't long before Alex was overwhelmed by such an effortless intimacy. The feel of Piper against her and the smell of her hair.

As Alex slowly pulled out of their embrace, she looked down at Piper. "I'll see you around kid." Piper nodded as she moved to look at the floor. It felt like goodbye, and Piper felt like her heart was falling out of her chest. Piper passed Alex her pillow with a sad smile and Alex left her cube.

Piper sat down on her bunk to find a pair of eyes staring at her from across the cube.

"That girl loves you far too much than you deserve." said Red


	11. Chapter 11

"You know I ain't really medical right?" said Gloria as she unbound Alex's fingers.

"Why was everybody coatin' themselves in oatmeal if you ain't medical?" said Poussey.

"That ain't medical thats herbal." snapped Gloria.

A small crowd had gathered around Alex's bunk as Gloria inspected Alex's fingers.

"A whole prison of women and we got no nurses? Fucking feminists telling women they can do whatever they want. Seriously we got no angels of death in here? Maybe that's me but I find that shit shocking." Nicky asked the collective group.

"I don't think I would want an Angel of death near me right now thanks Nicky." said Alex.

"Yeah yeah, you're right Vause, Chapman seems to do that well enough herself." replied Nicky.

There was a collective chuckle round the group.

"She can't help it, I don't think she means it." Alex mumbled out

"Ahh here it goes again!" chuckled Black Cindy.

"Yo the fuckin' never ending story over here." added Poussey

It had been a week and true to her word Alex had seen Piper around but they hadn't spoken. Alex would like to think it was normal, they didn't have anything to say to each other yet.

The prison had changed a lot whilst Alex had been cordoned off from the world. No one had come to get her for work detail or counsellor meetings, a small amount of digging revealed that CO Maxwell had actually deleted Vause's detention file amongst the masses she'd deleted when they went on strike, and no one yet had gotten around to working out she was still here. Alex hadn't needed to sneak around either, with such an influx of inmates there was always a section that was having downtime from work departments so she didn't stick out like a sore thumb by not going anywhere and staying in her bunk.

This worked out well for Alex, any checks Kubra would do on Piper's story would confirm that Alex was dead.

Gloria rested Alex's hand in her palm. "Try and make a fist for me." she asked.

Alex did as she was told and to her surprise managed a pretty good fist.

"And the other one" Gloria said.

Alex repeated the action.

"Hmm, like I said I ain't no doctor, and those ribs still ain't right but I reckon you're able to rejoin the population." said Gloria.

"Yes Vause, you gotta sit next to me for lunch, I don't know what Boo's been doin' recently but she's gotten gassy and it smells." said Morello.

Despite the fact Alex had been getting slowly more mobile, moving about the prison she had been avoiding large crowds such as the dining area and cinema nights. Areas like that had the possibility of turning from calm to rowdy in a heartbeat with this influx of new inmates and it had been a collective decision to keep her out of it. If something had happened and she'd been found covered head to toe with bruises and splintered fingers questions would have been asked.

"Yeah sure Morello, I'll do that. But first I want a fucking walk. I don't feel like I've stretched my legs in forever." said Alex.

"Yeah come on stretch, I'll take you for a walk." Said Nicky.

"Catch up with me later Nick, I think I can walk on my own." said Alex.

Alex stood off the bunk and made her way to the edge of the cube. Moving passed Morello, Morello moved to sit on Nicky's lap.

"Oh our little baby, all grown up and ready to fly the coop!" said Morello.

Alex turned ready with a witty retort before she took in the group of women in the cube.

"I don't say this much, cause I've never had people to thank. But thank you. All of you. I won't forget it." said Alex

"A favour from a white woman, hold onto it sistas!" said Black Cindy.

"It was metaphorical you idiot, she ain't actually doleing out favours to half the prison." said Poussey

"Hell, I'm gettin a favour," said Cindy, "as part of my black reparations!"

Alex chuckled as she left the cube, and began her walk outside, she'd bought a book with her and was actually looking forward to be able to turn the pages with her own fingers for the first time in what felt like forever.

* * *

Piper was doing what she had become used to doing, jogging her troubles away. By jogging, thoughts kind of floated away, and she felt nothing, which was a darn side better than what she had been feeling before, so Piper jogged. As she turned the corner of the track Piper could see in the middle distance the familiar shape of Alex attempting to lower herself onto the ground next to the chain link fence. Piper sped up to her.

"Hey," Piper said as she got in ear shot.

Alex looked up toward Piper who was managing a cautious wave.

"Do you need some help down?" said Piper as she finished her jog over.

"Yeah I think I was too excitable getting outside, dropped my book and I've not yet figured out how to get down without gripping onto a bunk." Said Alex.

"Oh don't worry, I got it." said Piper.

Who stooped down to pick it up, she held it out to Alex who thanked her. Piper noticed her unsplintered fingers.

"Your hands!" said Piper pointing out the obvious.

"Yeah my crack medical team said they seemed alright so now I've got the use of my opposable thumbs." said Alex

Alex and Piper stood looking at each other for a moment before Alex broke the silence.

"Walk with me?"

"Of course," said Piper.

Having completed a lap of the track in silence, Alex began to speak.

"I feel like a living breathing allegory of the cave."

"Plato?" asked Piper

"Stepping outside seeing the same things in a different light, if I went back and told Nicky how I felt, she'd laugh her ass off." said Alex.

"I understand that, not that I can put it into the same context, but eating Red's food after coming out of the SHU, it was like an out of body experience. I can imagine what it's like to see another day when you didn't expect it." said Piper.

"Yeah that amongst other things." said Alex.

Piper looked at Alex, she was on tenuous ground, a literal minefield of emotion and she didn't know whether to push it or not, curiosity had killed the cat for a reason.

Piper had obviously thought about it far too long that Alex had decided that was the end of that conversation, as they rounded another corner of the track, coming up to the tree that Piper had sat against that fateful day she spied that damn chicken. Alex changed topic.

"Pipe, I think I overestimated my lung capacity for a walk, can we take a seat?" asked Alex.

"Yeah- no of course" Piper replied by reaction helping Alex to the ground. Whilst Alex's attention was on sitting down, Piper looked at her deeply. The bruises were minimal now, to look at Alex she didn't look too dissimilar to how Piper would always remember her. After sitting Alex down she sat down beside her in a comfortable silence until Piper now broke it.

"What other things?" asked Piper. The cat be damned, curiosity got the better of her.

"What?"

"You said amongst other things what other things?" said Piper

"You just want to hear me say it."

"Say it."

"You. Obviously." Alex replied.

Piper waited a minute, she had gone down the rabbit hole now she needed to know.

"What do you think of me now?"

Alex took a moment to get comfortable before she turned to look at Piper.

"I think why should I bother-" Alex began.

"Alex, I got so much of it so wrong, and I feel like I'm missing so much. I'm missing all the good parts of me because they're with you and I miss you so much."

"You're not missing your stellar interrupting skills." quipped Alex.

"I just had to let you know."

"I was going to say, why should I bother delaying the inevitable. I know I'm going to end up forgiving you."


	12. Chapter 12

Alex was on the mend. Yes her bruises were now minimal, yes her fingers were useable, even her chest was getting better, deeper breaths every day. But Alex wasn't better.

In the whirlwind that had been her recovery, and becoming Litchfield hide and seek champion of 2015. One minuscule bit of information was being overlooked by her peers.

Alex had killed someone.

Even if everyone else had forgotten about it she hadn't, and the longer it went without voicing it, the more unravelled Alex felt. Alex hadn't gained any respect for killing a guard, there had been no overnight developments into a position of power amongst the inmates. Hell, half of them hadn't even seen her until this week.

It's not that Alex wanted to be the 'big name on campus', she had enjoyed, yes enjoyed probably her only enjoyment in prison; being apathetic to prison life.

But the fact that no one was even acknowledging the fact that by her hand someone was dead felt fucking bizarre.

Alex had seen dead bodies in her line of work, she was used to it, overdoses were as common as garden weeds. At Alex's level in the organisation she knew those who fell by the wayside were 'removed of accordingly'. How many times she had heard that phrase was too many to count. She wasn't an idiot she knew what was happening. But it was always happening in far off places, never where she was. Because it had never had anything to do with her.

That was until everything changed, and it did had everything to do with her. Alex had seen Farhi murdered. Alex had felt the splatter of warm blood on her arms. Farhi for all intents and purposes had been her friend, that night he'd been her best friend. Farhi had said yes to every one of her demands, they'd stayed out, they'd partied, they left those under their care to fend for themselves because Alex had pleaded with him to do so. They hadn't been careful and Farhi paid for it with his life. For every heinous act that Kubra did, the reaction always had its intention. That time it was for Alex to snap out of it, to become careful.

Kubra had always called his management style; cause and effect. And it was as powerful as it had sounded. Alex had always said she was a shitty junkie. Nothing makes you stop like the idea you could be murdered at any moment. But now Alex didn't know what the effect was supposed to be. She couldn't work out what she was supposed to do now. So Alex went through the motions of living on autopilot.

* * *

It was cinema night, (well cinema night was not every night due to trying to keep twice the amount of people occupied, but once again it was on rotation) and white suburbia were allowed out. The grainy footage of _Pretty Woman_ was playing out

The last lines blared out in relative silence.

"Welcome to Hollywood! What's your dream? Everybody comes here; this is Hollywood, land of dreams. Some dreams come true, some don't; but keep on dreamin' - this is Hollywood. Always time to dream, so keep on dreamin'."

"That's such bull! Welcome to Hollywood, Welcome to Litchfield, land of death and bad food!" An inmate shouted over the credits. Alex could overhear conversations of inmates talking about how they'd hoped that they would of found their millionaires whilst they turned their tricks. But Alex hadn't paid attention, and continued to stare into the middle distance. That was until a disagreement took place between two had been prostitutes and what constituted the creepiest trick they ever did. As chairs screeched on the floor as they went to square off against each other Alex was dragged back to reality and saw the eyes of Yoga Jones watching here. Jones stood up as if to come toward Alex but the bark of a CO back to their dorm rooms and straight to their bunks stopped her, and Jones filed out cordially amongst the masses.

Alex had not thought anymore of Jones' until the next day at lunch, Alex one of the first to the cafeteria was joined by Jones who took a seat directly opposite her.

"Hey" Alex said as she looked back down to whatever slop they were trying to pass off as food today. Alex had been looking at her tray for so a good few moments. Until she realised that Jones hadn't actually replied the courteous hello back. Looking back up Jones' was staring at Alex.

"What?" asked Alex.

"Did you ever hear about the time I slapped Janae?" asked Jones

Alex huffed out a small laugh, she hadn't and the idea of calm and placid Jones slapping anyone was laughable, but looking at Jones, she was being serious.

"No" replied Alex.

Jones took a deep breath, "She was goading me, she worked out in part what I'd done to end up here. I killed someone-"

Alex in turn took a deep breath and leaned backwards, she didn't know why Jones was telling her but she didn't want to be here. Jones leaned in conspiratorially.

"It was worse actually, I killed a kid. It was an accident, but I did it, and it kind of doesn't matter what the reason is, does it? Cause you still did it." finished Jones.

"What do you want from me?" asked Alex

"When Chapman came here, I told her to think of her time here as a Mandala, make something worth while and then just wash it away.- Which is working for me or better said I'm trying to make it work."

"Thanks for the advice." said Alex, she was short and she wanted Jones to know the conversation was over.

"But it won't work for you." said Jones taking no heed to the signals.

"Good ok, we're agreed." said Alex trying again.

"Because-" Jones continued ploughing straight through all Alex's stop signs, " I was in it alone, you're not. You have people here who looked after you, yes you said thank you, but I don't think you realised that you have people who care for you, you have sort of family, and you have Chapman."

Alex really looked at Jones, she couldn't work out her purpose. Whatever her point was it was grating her. Thankfully at that time Boo, Nicky and Lorna sat down at the table joining them. For some inane reason Boo was trying to actually start a softball league thinking they could actually have enough lesbians with the new intake.

"You in Vause, you'll be on our team obviously" said Nicky.

"We accept the love we think we deserve." said Jones to Alex, cutting through their conversation.

"Yoga, honestly. What are you chatting about, sometimes I think we should call you Yoda you make no sense, we're talking about scouting out dumb bitches for multiple orgasms behind the greenhouse." said Boo.

"What do you deserve Alex?" asked Jones.

"Where is she?" asked Alex

"She spends a lot of time in the Chapel." replied Jones

And with that Alex got up and left the table with no further fanfare.


	13. Chapter 13

Alex entered the chapel with caution, it wasn't often that anyone went into the chapel by themselves, and despite having a pretty good idea that Piper was alone; she couldn't be certain that Piper hadn't found someone to spend time with in the chapel. All their friends were at canteen, so this whole scenario wasn't making much sense to Alex.

Alex looked around, finding all the pews empty, but a dull buzzing noise filled the room. It could be heard all around, it was probably a loosely fitted light bulb that Nicky would no doubt have to fix soon. Alex began walking towards the stage down the aisle noiselessly when she heard Piper's distinctive voice say at various points 'Jesus' and 'motherfucker' coming from behind the pulpit. If things didn't make sense before, they certainly weren't adding up for Alex now. If Piper had at some point become religious, interspersing what seems to be silent prayer with Jesus and mother fucker surely didn't follow any kind of organised religion that she knew.

This was all getting a bit awkward for Alex, if she _was_ with someone back there, Piper was adding new words into her extra curricular activity vocabulary.

What was the polite protocol in this situation? Clear her throat to announce her presence? Or just straight up start talking. Alex was getting dangerously close to the stage when thankfully the decision was made for her as Piper got up from behind the pulpit, rearranging her prison shirt Piper stepped forward onto the stage, in a world of her own Piper had taken a fair few steps to the edge of the stage before she looked up and saw Alex.

"Jesus! You scared me." said Piper.

"So I see." replied Alex.

Alex had come to see Piper with all the gumption that Jones had given her, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what was going on in front of her.

Alex leaned to the side to look past Piper, and Piper too turned to look at what Alex was looking at, or better put, what Alex was looking for.

"Is there someone back there, cause they can come out now y'know. I mean fool me once right?" said Alex.

"What? No! There was no one back there, there is no one else." Replied Piper quickly.

"So...You were just behind the pulpit muttering to yourself, coming out rearranging your clothes by yourself...? said Alex, she was seriously confused.

Piper didn't know how best to broach this topic and the silence between them grew longer. It was in that moment that Alex also realised something.

"Do you hear that?" asked Alex.

"Hear what?"

"The buzzing noise has stopped." said Alex.

Piper began to blush, and it didn't escape Alex.

"There was no buzzing noise Al"

"Yes Pipes, there was."

Alex looked to Piper and really studied her face and how shifty she was being.

"I thought it was the lights, but now -" there was a glint in Alex's eye as she smirked and raised her signature eyebrow, "Pipes have expanded your panty empire and snuck in a vibrator?"

Piper looked horrified, yes they had spoken since Aydin had failed, but it was always so emotionally charged.

"No! Of course not, no no no, that would be-"

"That would be..." prompted Alex.

Piper knew what she wanted to say, and that was unnecessary. But instead, she found herself saying. "That would be the most embarrassing contraband to find myself carted to Max for having."

"So what do you have?" replied Alex.

Piper had been foiled, admitting she had something.

"It's not really mine," replied Piper. "It was Stella's."

Alex stared out Piper trying to work out what the fuck it could be and whether she would even want to know what it is or if she could live with not knowing what Piper was holding onto that was Stella's. Piper could read Alex's internal struggle and turned on her heels to retrieve the home made tattoo gun from from a under loose board in the base of the pulpit. Brining it forward to Alex, "It's a tattoo gun" Piper explained.

Alex examined the rudimentary machine for a moment or so, before she looked up at Piper.

"Show me." said Alex.

Piper acquiesced to Alex's request, she got off the stage and down to Alex's level. Raised her top with one hand and lowered the side of her bra, covering her ribs.

Alex leaned in to take a closer look, the silence was too much for Piper.

"I was just touching it up - I know it probably looks fucked." said Piper.

Alex straightened and up and Piper let her uniform drop, Piper chanced a quick look at Alex before she knotted her hands together and stared at a spot on her shoes.

"Why did you get that?" asked Alex.

"You know why." replied Piper.

"Did she tattoo it on you?"

"No, I told her it was just a design I wanted. She didn't approve."

As many questions as Alex was finding out the answers to, more questions were popping up. It was like fucking Pandora's box for all the luck she was having.

"When did you ask her to do it?"

"Probably around the time I was being the worst to you."

Alex removed her glasses placing them on top of her head, and sighed audibly closing her eyes and raising her hand to her face, trying to massage the frustration out from over her eyelids. Alex felt Piper remove her hand from her face with one hand, and bring her other hand up to cup Alex's cheek, before bringing her lips to Alex's with the most delicate of kisses, and leaving herself there, open and exposed for Alex to respond in kind or back away.

It took Alex a moment to consolidate all this new information with the reason why she'd even attended the fucking chapel in the first place.

Heartbreak is so intensely personal, the feelings one has when they realise their life is no longer following a path they aspired to have. That the person they wanted to live in that plan with is no longer willing or able to want it, and by extension them. It has the ability to cause a pain that cannot be quantifiable. It doesn't have an expiry date, and it certainly doesn't have a remedy. And its a sick and sorry state of affairs that the world finds it important to keep turning, that new days turn into new nights. When that love and the feelings that come with it have no place to go, no one to give it to and are stored so close to the surface, staying perfectly still, keeping the brain away from any and all stimuli for fear that they'll spill is an immediate stop gap. Alternatively, having those feelings buried so deep down that when they do, which they will emerge, normally at the most inauspicious of times have the capability to cause us to do and act in way that feels so out of character, that questions have to be asked. 'What kind of person am I? Who would want me how I am, and with what I've done?'

Alex Vause had felt these feelings she had watched her life change before her very eyes against her control with Piper, with her mother, and then with Piper again and again.

Alex liked to paint herself as a realist, not everyone had a soul mate, that those who believe the best is yet to come are clinging on to a belief that in the end everything is going to be ok. Because _realistically_ that probably isn't going to be the case, the most likely situation is that whatever shit hole you find yourself in will become the new standard by which one relatively marks all new events against. So yes, that same shit in a different bucket does look appealing.

But God help her if all those feelings of rationality didn't leave her at that moment.


	14. Chapter 14

Piper brought her face to the attention of the the spray of the shower, letting it rain over her, as she thought of the events of the day before. She had slept on it, tossed and turned on it, daydreamed about it, she'd even puzzled on it, but things were nowhere near clarified. Piper had never been good at working out what was good for the head wasn't always good for the heart. It was what had lead to picking Larry in the first place. The same worked in reverse.

She had kissed Alex, right there in the chapel. Alex's eyes had become glassy in thought, it wasn't what Piper had expected herself to do, but seeing Alex exasperated, she hadn't thought.

Piper had done what she'd always done when she'd found Alex in such a quandary. During their pre-Litchfield time together Alex had often been faced with problems with no apparent solutions. Whenever mules weren't in the right place, when deliveries didn't appear like they would happen on time, and Piper would find Alex was hunched over her laptop no end seeming in sight. Piper had her ways. Its how she found herself in fucking Bali in the first place, a well timed song danced to in some perfectly chosen lingerie around the post of a four poster bed. Who could say no to that.

The first time Piper had found Alex in such a dilemma out of their Northampton bubble. Piper had drawn a bath in their Brussels hotel suite, Alex has assured her she would be there in five minutes and fifteen minutes later the flowers Piper had so romantically placed to float in the bath were beginning to get soggy, the bubbles were dwindling and the temperature was dropping.

Piper fixed herself in the hotel robe and peered round the corner, seeing Alex in exactly the same pose she had left her in. Piper padded over barefoot to Alex's position at the hotel room desk with no recognition by Alex of her presence. Piper pulled out the chair from behind the desk to a sigh of "Pipes" said in nothing but dissatisfaction from Alex until Piper moved around the chair to face Alex.

Alex had made a quizzical face at Piper, as Piper smiled and moved to sit on Alex's lap straddling her, Piper took hold of the back of the chair and lean slowly into Alex. Piper had wasted no time the moment their lips touched in creating a slow and deeply passionate kiss with the sole intention of making Alex forget what it was she was doing.

Piper broke away at the last possible moment for breath taking her long lung full from a hairs breadth away from Alex's neck, the sensation elicited goosebumps to Alex's neck, to which Piper was hoping for. Piper then start her descent nipping and kissing Alex's neck waiting for the inevitable; waiting _just_ until Alex's hands went from steadying her at her hips to snaking up her back to tangle in her hair. It was at this point that Piper moved up to Alex's earlobe giving Alex a perfect view into the robe, Piper whispered "Are you going to be long?"

Would you believe it that Alex found the solution very quickly afterwards. From Brussels through every country to the Seychelles this became Piper's secret weapon.

It was only later when Alex's ability to enact quick fixes had lumped her with greater responsibilities that Alex then found herself posed with multiple problems. Faced with multiple mules and multiple shipments Piper found her the solution technique had become bothersome. When Piper found that she had become bothersome.

The events of Paris had come about not too much longer than Piper had had this revelation.

But for now back in their bubble of Litchfield, seeing Alex with her glassy eyes, it had been instinctual for Piper. These kind of actions were a reflex, no matter how long ago this was. When faced with the same conundrum Piper had done what she had always done, she hadn't put any thought into it. But _now_ in this godawful shower, she was thinking again, and she was thinking she probably should have thought about it.

Apart form one thing.

Alex had kissed her back.

Not just y'know allowed Piper to kiss her. Alex had been an active participant. Even under the fitful spray of the shower, Piper could feel the pressure of Alex's lips against hers. She could feel the hesitant hand that had first found its place on her cheek before moving back, gliding through her hair to the base of her head holding her in place, just as it always did. Piper still felt breathless from the kiss. Piper's insides still shivered with excitement, her skin still crawled with anticipation and her senses were still overwhelmed with the taste and smell of Alex.

However, Piper also remembered in high definition clarity. Alex then turning to leave the chapel, and walking out without a word.

Fucking life.

It had been close to lights out when Piper had finally made her way out of the chapel so at her earliest opportunity given the new bathroom schedule Piper had retreated to the shower. The closest she was going to get to her Happy Place, the longer stood under the spray the less it was where she needed to be.

* * *

Alex was in the library, she had built herself somewhat of a mobile trolley book shelf fort, squirrelled away in the corner away from the now always busy library. Alex was attempting to read, but honestly, she was trying to work out how she got from 'I'm _probably almost definitely_ going to forgive you' to having her tongue down Piper's throat so quickly. The scenario itself was laughable. But here she was.

Honestly Alex didn't know what was going on anymore. Staring at the pages wasn't helping either, but it was a good time wasting tactic and one she planned on doing for quite some time.

But raised voices in the library were bringing her out of this bizarre form of meditation she was performing.

"Where's my book?! I was reading it, I _specifically_ said no one move it, and its been moved. Who's the wise guy who thought it would be funny to fuck with me." said the voice.

"Yo just chill, what book was you readin? I'll be able to find it for you." replied Taystee.

"And if my page has been moved I ain't gonna be happy I put a reeses pieces candy bar wrapper in it to mark my page."

Alex looked around her fort and low and behold a reeses pieces wrapper was poking out of a book. Alex was debating whether or not to come out with the book as the conversation continued.

"Did you book it out or did you just read it in here because depending on what it is, if you left it here someone else may have taken it."

"What the fuck has it got to do with you Taylor Swift?"

"Look I was just trying to be helpful, I'm actually looking for someone and actually Taylor Swift is what I was called like nine months ago. We've collectively been through that and we've come out the other side. I'm Chapman, _just_ Chapman."

"Are you callin' me out? Bitch I may be new to this shithole but I've been in the system for enough time that you give me the respect I deserve or I'll make you-"

"You'll make her what?" Alex had come from her fort and had slammed the book down on the table in front of this new woman.

Alex pushed the book toward this woman, _The Divergent_ with the reeses wrapper still visible. Alex raised her eyebrows, "Little juvenile, don't you think?"

This woman picked up the book turned and stalked out toward the Rec room, leaving Taystee Alex and Piper stood around the table.

"Oooh wee, look at you stretch barely out of one fight and smack bang into another" said Taystee.

"Force of habit I guess," replied Alex who raised her eyes to Piper's briefly before darting away. "I'm gonna go find Nicky." Alex similarly and swiftly left the library instead heading toward the grounds.

"Damn that girl just loves to stir the pot." said Taystee chuckling to Piper.

"She doesn't have a death wish" replied Piper.

"I never said she did, but she does have fuckin' blinkers when it comes to you, you know there was that time when she jumped to your defence when she thought Miss Claudette was gonna give you a hidin." continued Taystee

"Don't forget the time when she kissed 'tucky" continued Suzanne.

"She did what? stuttered Piper "What are you doing here?"

"I'm writing the sequel to my novel and you are interrupting my focus with your dramas." replied Suzanne.

"Aaand don't forget when she didn't eat thanksgiving dinner, I got two portions that day" continued Taystee.

"What are you two talking about?" replied Piper.

"Why do you know so little?" said Suzanne.

"I- I don't know I'll go and find out."

* * *

Piper found Alex at the benches near the exercise area, she was playing UNO with Nicky amongst others as Piper walked on over. Ever since finding out about Alex's injuries in the greenhouse comfortable wasn't the word she'd use to describe her presence around the group but the more answers she got the more questions she got.

"You kissed Tucky?" Piper asked as she approached the group.

Nicky burst into laughter, "what crack pipe have you been smoking today Chapman?"

But Alex got up and motioned with a head nod to Piper to take a walk.

"Why do I feel like I don't know anything that's going on with you?" asked Piper

"Well it sounds to me as if though you know an awful lot." replied Alex.

"Seriously Alex today, you shouldn't of got yourself involved today it's just one more person for you to watch out for" implored Piper.

"And what Piper? You know what the common denominator is in all of this. It's you." Alex turned to face her, and searched her blue eyes. "This is me Pipes, it's never going to change. You'll always be able to say jump and I'll say how high. Like today you don't even have to say it. I'll just do it. It's fucking horrifying, that this my life. Honestly, it's scary that no matter how far away I go from you. Being with you feels right. It feels like- like-"

"Home. It feels like home."

Alex looked up at Piper, the look in her eyes mirrored hers exactly.

"At least that's what it has always felt to me. Being with you." continued Piper.

Looking at each other they were finally coming to the point whereby they both understood how petrified they were.

Piper moved in close to Alex the toes of their boots were just touching as Alex moved her head to rest on Pipers shoulder exhausted at this roundabout of Piper. Piper took a deep breath in to steady whatever it was that she was feeling at that moment. The smells of Alex igniting all her senses, Piper pulled back to just look at Alex. Piper needed to see her. Alex leaned back slightly and raised her eyes to Piper's. A curtain of hair was keeping them in their own bubble, Piper raised her hand to sweep a side of Alex's hair behind her ear. That's when Piper noticed the goosebumps on the side of Alex's neck. Piper turned to look at Alex, she took her time. she looked deep into her eyes, she took her time.

Piper moved her hand back up to Alex's cheek, she kept contact, and she said to Alex. " Are you going to be long?"

 **Apologies this is very VERY LATE. Boring story but the crux is, I lost it. But now I've found it.**


End file.
